Upgrade military equipment - Mills

Bundase (Greater Accra) 17 June '99

Vice-President John Atta Mills on Wednesday reiterated the need to make provision for relevant and up-to-date equipment for the Armed Forces.

It is imperative that the military are ready and able to respond with the necessary human and logistic resources in times of threat to the country's peace and stability, he said.

Vice-President Mills after watching a three-hour demonstration of armament and firepower display at Bundase Range in the Accra plains, said he was impressed by the demonstration, describing the equipment involved as some of the best on the world's military equipment inventory.

The demonstration, watched by dignitaries, including members of the Council of State and the Parliamentary Committee on Defence as well as by military chiefs, was organised by Alvis Vehicles of London and the Ghana Armed Forces.

It involved four major military hardware - SIMBA armoured personnel carriers, SUPACAT all terrain platform vehicles, the amphibious BV 206 and SCORPION 90-mm light tank - all manufactured by Alvis.

The vice-president also expressed his appreciation to the military authorities for improving the operational capacity of the forces to meet the challenges of the coming millennium.

Professor Mills, who chairs the Armed Forces Council, called for a thorough

evaluation of the equipment by the relevant agencies to submit recommendations for government's consideration.

He said the country has enjoyed relative calm and lived in peace with her neighbours.

However, it would be an irresponsible complacency to assume that there is no need to adopt a credible deterrent posture that would send the appropriate signals to any would-be external aggressor.

Prof. Mills recalled the northern conflict, saying but for the swift and professional manner the Ghana Armed Forces mobilised to assist the civil authorities to restore calm and maintain peace during the reconciliation period, the situation would have escalated.

Prof. Mills paid tribute to the forces for their achievements on the international scene, particularly at the UN, Regional, and sub-regional peacekeeping missions, and expressed the hope that the forces would be conversant with technologies and challenges that may be posed in the next millennium.

In his remarks, Mr Joseph Darko-Mensah, Minority Spokesman on Defence, described the demonstration as "great".

He said it is his view that the equipment be acquired for the army and the police to enhance their efficiency.

"I will not hesitate to lend my full support to any request that will come to Parliament for the acquisition of these items for our forces."

Mr J. E. Ackah, Chairman of the select committee, said he would support the acquisition of the equipment due to their flexibility.

However, for Ghana, he would want their thorough evaluation to ascertain their durability and cost of maintenance.

The cost of the equipment is not yet known.